By Judy Hall, Punch with
JudyNote: Back issues of Australian Stitches are available
from Express
Publications

Stitches
Magazine Vol. 13 No. 1
Sewing Basket Page 87 reminds us that we all have had an accident cutting a
buttonhole just when the garment has been completed. Never again! Clover's little
Buttonhole Cutter has saved any future mishaps!
A must for every dressmaker.

Stitches
reviewed Joan Shay's "Appli-Bond Needles" on Page
87 in Vol. 13 No. 1 and commented how useful they were for doing buttonhole
stitch on fusible applique. This is because of their three sides bayonette cutting
edges which enables the Appli-Bond Needle to pierce the bonded fabric with ease.
Do try them and you may love them too.

Stitches
Magazine Vol. 12 No. 9
Sewing Basket Page 84 shows how to use Clover's Stuffing
Tool for Trapunto. I might add though that Dollmakers like this little tool
because of its fine shaped bent tip. Why not add it to your range of handy little
items for those pesky jobs?

Stitches
Magazine Vol. 12 No. 7Sewing
Basket Page 85 introduces our Double Eye Machine
Embroidery Needle. Now, this is not a Twin Needle, this one has one eye
above the other. The editorial didn't expand quite as much as the needle's worth.
Yes, it CAN be used for computerized embroidery designs, but simply sew a little
slower than you normally may. By using two shades of tone on tone, two threads
of the same colour or completely contrasting threads, the effects are great.
Different to variegated thread insomuch as it appears a more natural coverage
making it superb for flowers, leaves and all Mother Nature grants us. Do try
it.

Judy's Note: Please check the needle's clearance by manually turning the
handwheel cautiously to make sure the needle does pick up the bobbin thread
with both top threads. If not, you MAY have to lower the needle's insertion
just a "whisker" then check again by manually turning the handwheel. I don't
want you breaking a needle by sewing before checking this.

By far the
biggest pattern range seller we've EVER had has been the Applique Patterns from
Joan Statz of Joan's Own Creations. Never before
has there been so much interest shown in any one pattern series than this at
every show I've displayed her magnificent wall hangings. Stitches Magazine reviewed
some of the range in Vol. 12 No. 7 but there are lots more to view and new ones
are added each 6 months. Select one for yourself and have making it!

Stitches
Magazine Vol. 12 No 5
Butterfly Shadows Page 16
Just feast your eyes on this delectable shirt using our Stencil
Burner and Cutwork Butterflies from the Fancy
Edges Set 1 (N Devaa Designs). Isn't it superb?
It's reversible too!
Yvonne Keen, the editorial assistant, incorporated the butterfly cutwork embroideries
into an overshirt "to die for". To emphasize the lightness of the
designs once the areas were burnt away, the embroidered fabric was placed over
a contrasting colour. The result was beautiful with the under-shirt giving the
butterflies their colourful wings.

Page
84 of Stitches reviews the Sew Shabby Chic Bowl Tool
& the book Fast, Fun & Easy Fabric Bowls
by Linda Johansen and confirms the current craze that's taken the world by storm!
Using Timtex® Stabilizer, you can create
beautiful fabric bowls to grace your home. Imagine the possibilities - make
decorative bowls from left-over curtain fabrics and with a bit of snipping and
cutting an d basic zigzag stitch - voila! You can finish off with embellishments
of any kind.Judy's Note: Since the editorial was printed, the price of the Timtex®
has been reduced to $12.00 per metre and each 34cm square piece is now $5.00.

Stitches
Magazine Vol. 12 No. 3
Sewing Basket on Page 80 introduces the Wide Bodkin, a new product from Clover.
Threading elastic can be frustrating, particularly when the elastic and bodkin
separate halfway through the process. (Can you relate to this?) Not any more
because the Clover Wide Bodkin has a small locking device to hold the elastic
firmly and securely while threading it through the casing. After threading,
release the slider bar and the bodkin springs open. The Clover Wide Bodkin can
also be used to thread cording and ribbon and is great for threading fabric
strip in pinweaving. How can you be without one?

Stitches
Magazine Vol. 12 No. 1
The most popular article I've ever written for Stitches Magazine was The Big
Shirt pattern using my Pleat Maker for the Prairie Points trim. It was featured
in Vol. 8 No. 3 a few years ago and has been out of print for some time. So,
Express Publications has decided to feature it again so as all those who missed
out before can now make their own country style overshirt. Don't miss this opportunity,
contact Express Publications before they run out yet again! Of course, you may
also purchase The Big Shirt pattern from us or choose from the range of Pleat
Makers.

Stitches
Magazine Vol. 12 No. 1
Are you a Happy Rug Hooker? If you have a stash of leftover fabrics, you should
be!
Page 114 Sewing Basket features the current craze of rug hooking, but with a
difference. This method uses fabric strips. What a great way to make a small
floor rug, cushion or bag. I've been teaching Locker Hooking at the pre-show
classes for all the Craft & Quilt Fairs this year. Canvas, Locker Hooking
Needle, Twine, Books and complete Kits are available.

Stitches
Magazine Vol. 11 No. 9
Sewing Basket Page 80 features our Corner Mark-It
Tool, noting that although designed for quilting, it is just as handy for
dressmaking.
"Such a small piece of plastic, but oh so many clever uses! A little tool
that will help you create perfect mitres every single time. Primarily designed
to assist with constructing mitred corners when binding quilting projects, the
accurate measuring scale makes for quick, easy mitring of corners in almost
any item requiring this type of finish. The tool comes complete with three pages
of instructions that include clear, easy-to-understand diagrams and is such
a clever idea that you will quickly wonder how you eve lived without one in
your sewing basket."

Stitches
Magazine Vol. 11 No. 8
We introduced the Superior Threads range of exciting threads to our website
a short while ago with everyone singing their praises. Read what the Stitches
team had to say about Extra Vanish Water Soluble
Thread.

"This magical reel
of thread from Superior Threads will completely dissolve in water. It vanishes
like water-soluble stabilizer and needs only a light misting to completely dissolve
it. Right now you are probably asking yourself why anyone would bother sewing
two pieces of fabric together to then dissolve the thread holding that fabric!
Well, think basting! As garment makers we are always basting so that we can
try and fit as we go. But removing basting stitches after seam construction
is a chore, particularly if the basing threads get caught in the construction
stitching. How much simpler to mist the seam and watch the basting stitches
just disappear, leaving no residue whatsoever. The thread is suitable for machine
or hand-basting and has a multitude of other uses. So not as daft as it first
sounded - right? This is an example of another new product that in time we will
not be able to live without?"
Judy's Note: Excellent for Machine Trapunto too.

Also
featured in this issue are the range of patterns from Evelyn
Vesper, a talented Australian designer of Stained Glass patterns and 3-D
Appliqué patterns.

"This wonderful series
of patterns, designed by Evelyn Vesper, will have you fired up with enthusiasm
to produce a stunning quilt using the technique called stained glass. In fact,
the finished quilt is hauntingly reminiscent of traditionally handcrafted stained-glass
windows.

The pattern series is based
on some of Australia's colourful wildlife and includes a rainbow lorikeet, a
pelican, koala and gorgeous dolphins to name just a few. Each pattern comes
with a full-size design sheet plus clear, easy to read step-by-step instructions."

"There is absolutely
nothing more annoying than opening up your box of embroidery threads and finding
a tangled mess. Here is a wonderful, reusable vinyl tape that literally wraps
around a reel of thread and stops it from unravelling. The tape comeson a convenient
roll that is cut to size. Its unique property is that it clings to itself, keeping
your thread tangle-free, but is easily removed when the thread is needed for
use."

Stitches
Magazine Vol. 11 No. 3
Two wonderful products that have been praised from coast to coast since this
article in Stitches on Stay Tape and Seams
Great.

Stay Tape is a lightweight
100% nylon tape that can be used in any area requiring stabilizing such as jacket
and lapel curves, around the back neck curve, V-necks, knit garment shoulder
seams, bias-cut pockets and a myriad of other areas. This sheer tape will stabilize
without adding bulk, will not fray, does not need to be pre-shrunk and is machine
washable and dry cleanable.

Seams Great is also a
lightweight 100% nylon tape, designed to be used as a seam covering without
adding bulk. Wonderful for covering the seam edges of fabrics that fray significantly
or for a soft, clean finish on armhole seams or in bridal attire. This clever
tape has a natural curl to it that will wrap around the edge to be covered,
making it so easy to use. It is machine washable, dry cleanable and is colourfast.

Australian
Stitches Magazine Vol. 11 No. 2Sewing
Basket (Page 78) reviewed four very popular Clover Products for threading needles
and cutting threads that make ideal little gifts. Great for armchair sewing
as they pointed out, but they missed the indispensable need for anyone travelling
these days by air, yet still want to stitch to pass away the time. I am definitely
one of those who simply can't sit with idle fingers! Air User Friendly -
we call them!

Yes, I know,
you can't take needles on planes these days, but there's more than one way of
skinning a cat, as they say. Women are devious!

Thread Cutter Pendant - Our most popular beautiful
little cutter that looks like an antique pendant and many wear it around their
neck on velvet ribbon or cord. It has a sharp circular cutting blade inside
and small open grooves all around its edges through which the thread can be
drawn to cut. Useful set atop a thread reel too. $15.95

Quilt
Needle Threader - Stitches say "old, tired eyes", I prefer to
say "mature eyes" that have done a lot of sewing over the years need
all the help they can get when it comes to threading needles. Is especially
good for threading very fine needles. Matches the Thread Cutter Pendant too.
$13.95

Thread
Cutter Ring - This clever little ring is also antique in style and is designed
to expand to fit any finger. The tiny blade is make of sharp, rust-resistant
stainless steel. Pop it on your finger when hand sewing and you will always
have a convenient cutting implement close and handy. $12.95

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